Before she gets fully reintroduced into the New 52, take a look at the previous versions of the character!

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- Duela Dent aka The Joker's Daughter -

Origin Story

There have been three previous versions of this character. The Pre-Crisis version: well, just like her “poppa,” pick a card, any card. She's claimed to be the child of the following Batman villains: Joker, Two-Face, Riddler, Scarecrow, Catwoman, and Penguin. The only truth we know is that in her final Pre-Crisis appearance (Tales of the Teen Titans #50), she appeared sans make-up and apparently much older than she was letting on, eliminating Two-Face from the list of suspects.

She's gone by various unique identities, including Harlequin, Card Queen, Scarecrone and Catgirl. She's also been a member of the Teen Titans.

The Post-Crisis version is a bit more complicated. A version of the character appeared in Team Titans, but the whole concept of that team was later to be revealed as a glitch due to the time distortion hijinks of Zero Hour (to best explain the event go to this link *insert Doctor Who timey wimey).

Now the actual Post-Crisis version first appeared during the Justice League/Titans crossover: Technis Imperative. We didn't learn the character's actual origin until after she had been killed in Countdown (aka Countdown to Final Crisis aka probably one of ten issues of the entire fifty-two you should even read). She is the daughter of the Jokerster and Three-Face (heroic versions of the Joker and a female Two-Face), plus originally from Earth-3. Through her madness she was able to jump between multiple Earths. This little feat would catch-up to her eventually.

The character is also featured in the Ame-Comi online exclusive series. This version, like the Post-Crisis one, is actually the daughter of the Joker, aka Jack Dent, and isactually one of the villains of the series.

Character Appeal:

Much like her “father” the appeal she has is her chaotic nature, but with an actual good twist instead (at least in the main-line DC books).

Top Story-lines:

Pre-Crisis

The Batman Family #6 (First Appearance) – Befuddles Robin (Dick Grayson) with various crimes, and begins her game with the hero of deducing the other's identity.

Tales of the Teen Titans #50 – Appears in a cameo appearance without costume at Donna Troy's wedding to Terry Long.

Post-Crisis

JLA/Titans: Technis Imperative (#2-3) – Is one of many Titans recruited by Vic Stone aka Cyborg to help the Titans combat the Justice League in order to save him from the out of control Technis technology overwhelming him.

Titans Secret Files #2 – Crashes a recruitment drive for Titans on the West Coast with several of Beast Boy's villains. She is defeated and sent back to the asylum.

Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files #2 – Duela talks with several villains and does her usual routine explaining to them that she's the daughter of several super-villains through various ways.

Titans Tomorrow (Teen Titans v. 3 #17) – We find out that an alternate version of her is the catalyst that twists the Titans of the Future into being more fanatical. Pursuing a more villainous path, Duela murders Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), Alfred Pennyworth, and Bette Kane. These acts back that timeline's Batman (Tim Drake) into murdering her.

Infinite Crisis (Teen Titans v. 3 #32, Infinite Crisis #4, Infinite Crisis HC) – Assists the Teen Titans in fighting Superboy Prime and appears on the side of good guys again in the Battle of Metropolis (in the collected hardcover edition).

Titans East (Teen Titans #43-47) – is probably one of the few positives of the actual story. She joins the villainous Titan team lead by Deathstroke and combats their opposites (as for why she joined the villains, because Slade just asked her). She and the Enigma stand guard and mentally taunt Raven. However, after Raven asks her if she wants to be a Teen Titan, Duela accepts. She then knocks out Enigma and frees Raven.

Duela and fellow cast-off Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) join with the Teen Titans against Deathstroke and the remaining members of Titans East. After the battle, both Duela and Cassandra flee.

Death (Countdown #51, Teen Titans #47) – She abducts a male teenager from a nightclub, only to run into the Red Hood aka Jason Todd. The two have a minor throw-down before Duela escapes Jason, only to run into a Monitor, who promptly shoots her dead. Her death spurs Todd and several others (Donna Troy, and Kyle Rayner) into investigating the motives of why the Monitor killed her.

The Jokester's Last Laugh (Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: The Crime Society #1) – We find out Duela's origins and how she had escaped Earth-3.

The Joker's Daughter Can Even Beat Superman:

Highly doubtful, alas.

Where the Character is Today:

Is currently in limbo, but will soon appear in the New 52 (specifically in the pages of Catwoman). Also continues to appear in the Ame-Comi online comics.

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About the Author - Zechs

Zechs is the lord and master of The Toy Shed, Character Spotlight, and Cartoon Reviews. He's also an aspiring comic book writer trying to get some of his works published on the Outhouse. If there's any greater quality to Zechs, it's that he's an avid fan of comic book characters and would defend them to the bitter end against the companies that use them wrongly. Zechs walks the lonely path in Chicagoland area.